Disclaimer: All ideas are based on characters and events belonging to J.K. Rowling.

Calm Before the Storm

Chapter 16: Heart to Heart

Olivia hesitantly took the letter from the owl's mouth, afraid of what she was going to find. Slowly, she peeled away the wax seal and unfolded the parchment. Her eyes scanned the words slowly.

Olivia,

Please forgive me for my previous actions. I was in the wrong and

I realize that now. I sincerely miss seeing your face and feeling

your lips against mine. You mean everything to me and I don't want

things to end between us over this little misunderstanding. Please

write me back soon with a positive reply. I love you.

Lucius

"Olivia?" Olivia jumped and dropped the letter. Sirius was standing in the doorway, now in his pajamas, a concerned look at his face.

"Sirius." She tried to smile but failed miserably. "I thought everybody went to bed."

Noting the letter on the rug, Sirius quickly crossed the room and picked it up. He scanned it over quickly as Olivia sat on her bed, her mind racing. Rage soared through him as he processed exactly what the letter said. "Misunderstanding? What the bloody hell is he thinking?" Noting her expression, he sat on the bed next to her. "Your not actually considering this, are you Liv?"

She sniffed and laid her head on Sirius' shoulder. "He was the first guy to really show any romantic interest in me. I really thought that he loved me, Sirius."

He wrapped his arms around her. "Olivia, you deserve so much better than what you got from him. Your a terrific witch and a wonderful person and you only deserve the best."

She looked up at him and tried to smile, again failing miserably. "What happens though if nobody else wants me?"

"Olivia Potter. There are guys lined up every time you turn around to ask you out." He gave her a look of reassurance. "Besides, I don't understand how anybody wouldn't want you. Your amazing." He froze, realizing too late what he had said and hoping that she didn't hear him correctly.

She, too, froze. Her brow crumpled in a look of confusion. Had he really just meant that the way it sounded? No, he couldn't have. This was her brother's best friend. What if he did mean it though, how would that make her feel? She looked up at him. She knew she could try to fool herself and make excuses but deep down, she had to tell herself the truth. She had had a crush on Sirius Black since the first day James introduced them. Of course, she had never said anything to anybody. As handsome, intelligent, and popular as he, what would he see in her?

He shifted uncomfortably, waiting for her to say something but she remained silent, not really sure what to say. He was kicking himself for being so careless. He had a girlfriend and here he was in his best friend's baby sister's room, holding her and telling her she's amazing. But hell, she was amazing, but James would kill him if he ever knew that he liked her.

Deciding she wasn't going to answer, he stood up, afraid he had made her uncomfortable. She reached out and grabbed his hand as he was making his way to the door. "Where are you going?"

"I just thought maybe you'd want to be alone." He turned back to see her eyes tearing up. "I can stay a while. If you want me to, that is?" She led him over to her window where they sat in the large window seat, facing each other. "So, what are you going to do about Malfoy?"

She looked out the window, watching gnomes run around the garden in the back of the house. "Nothing."

He looked at her questioningly. "I don't understand."

"I haven't decided yet if I'll write a reply, but if I do, I'll keep it short and to the point. I don't ever want to see him again. I loved him and he threw that away."

His heart twinged at hearing her say she loved Malfoy. He knew Malfoy didn't deserve her. Hell, he wasn't sure if even he did...but there was no need to think about it because it could never happen. As much as he cared about her and found himself becoming more and more confident in admitting to himself that yes, he did care about her, it hurt to think that he would never have her.

"What is it, Sirius?"

Sirius looked away, embarrassed at being caught staring. "Nothing."

She placed her hand over his and his chest tightened. "You can tell me, you know."

He smiled. "I can't believe how much you've grown up and I didn't even realize it until recently."

She laughed. "What? Did you expect me to forever stay the little girl that always followed you and James around wanting to play with you?"

He smirked at her cheekiness. "Well, yea. Sort of."

She playfully glared at him and swatted his arm. "I couldn't stay a little girl forever, Sirius."

He looked out the window. "So I've noticed."

Right about that time, Niko came bounding in the room and jumped into Olivia's lap, purring. She petted his head and rubbed his ears absentmindedly as she turned her attention back to Sirius. "What was that?"

"What? Oh, nothing. Just thinking out loud." He watched her as she played with Niko's whiskers. "You really love that cat, huh?"

She looked down at the cat in question and smiled. "He was a present from Daddy when I got accepted to Hogwarts. We bonded immediately and he's never far away. It's like he's always watching out for me."

"I'm sorry I always made fun of him. He really does seem like a loving cat." He reached over and gently took Niko from Olivia's lap. The cat immediately stood in his lap and started rubbing against him, wanting Sirius to pet him.

"And for some reason, he has always liked you."

Sirius laughed. "What can I say? I'm an animal person." He inwardly smirked at his joke. Olivia had no idea that him, James, and Peter were animagi. It seemed like most animals just flocked toward him, possibly sensing his inner animal.

They sat in silence for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. "I can't believe its so close to start of term."

"Yea." He sighed. "Just one more week."

"How did your OWLs go?"

"Good. I got what I needed to proceed with everything required to be an auror."

She smiled sadly. "Jamie wants to be an auror too."

"Why the long face? It's a respectable job."

She looked up quickly, afraid she had offended him but relaxed when she saw only questioning in his light grey eyes. "No, no. I know that, it's very respectable and a job to be proud of, but it's also dangerous. It scares me to think of my brother in danger. It scares me to think about you in danger. I don't know what I'd do without either of you."

Sirius reached up and rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "But he wants to fight for what's right, as I do. There are whispers of a war, Olli. Things are getting very dark and I want to help stop it. I won't let people like my family hurt others just because they think they have better blood. It's utter rubbish and I want to do everything I can to help stop them."

She stared at him for several seconds, not saying a word, just staring. He was beginning to become uncomfortable under her stare when she finally moved to retake Niko from him. "Your a very admirable person, Sirius Black." He blushed, finding her compliment extremely endearing. "Have you heard anything from your family since you came here?"

She was shocked to see the closed look that appeared in his eyes at the mention of his family. "Regulus sent me an owl a couple days after I got here telling me that I've been removed from the family tree. I no longer exist as far as they are concerned and that is perfectly fine with me. I can never thank your parents enough for taking me in."

Olivia frowned at the news, not understanding how somebody could just cast their child away. She remembered the night that he had showed up at their door. He had looked so humiliated and dejected that night, a bloody mess. "How are you feeling? You know, after what happened?"

"Physically, I'm fine. My ribs are still a little sore, depending on how I move."

"Any emotionally?"

He sighed. "Emotionally, I've been better. I'm not upset to have left, I'm glad to have gotten out. I just wish I could have taken Reg with me. I'm scared for him, and what he's going to be exposed to. He won't stand up to them."

"He's in my year. He always seems so...I don't know, strong-willed? It's so weird to think that it's all a front."

"He's just trying to please everybody. That's what they want him to be, a true Slytherin, but he's not like the rest of them. Ambitious, yes, I'm not saying he doesn't belong there, but he's not the purest my parents want him to be."

"Maybe one day, he'll figure out he can be whoever he wants to be. Just like you did."

Sirius smiled. He was severely enjoying his conversation with Olivia. This was the kind of thing he liked, just a heart to heart conversation, the kind of thing Scarlett couldn't give him because she just didn't understand him. He decided though, that he'd rather change the subject. "So, are you nervous to be starting your OWL year?"

Olivia looked down, chuckling slightly and still petting Niko. "Extremely. It'd frustrating to think that what happens this year will determine my future."

He looked at her curiously, "What is it that you want to do?"

"I haven't really decided for sure. I've thought about being a Healer."

"You would make an excellent Healer."

She smiled. "Do you really think so?"

"I do. I seem to remember very clearly who was taking care of me when I first arrived here. That shows you have the caring, now you just need the know-how." Looking at the clock on her desk, she jumped up and started laughing. Sirius immediately followed. "What's wrong?"

She pointed to the clock. "We've talked the night away. Breakfast will be in just a couple hours."

Sirius' eyes bulged. Had it really been that long? "Well, I think I better go try to catch at least a few minutes sleep for the night." He stopped as he reached the door. "I've really had a good time talking to you tonight, Olivia. I'd like to do this more often."

She walked over to him from where she was still standing by the window and kissed his cheek. "I've had fun too, Sirius. Your more interesting than you look."

He gave her a playfully affronted look before smiling. He reached over and petted the now snoring Niko in her arms. "Night, Olli."

She smiled. "Night, Sirius."

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Author's Note: Please review and let me know what's going through your minds. :P

To all my reviewers: I appreciate you all very much. I'm glad you love the story and I want to hear your opinions. I would answer each of you personally but my head is pounding and the warm bed is calling my name...keep reviewing!